Ashore
by tinyinara
Summary: My first fic! After the events of 'Adrift', Jack has to deal with his team's inability to follow orders. Jack/Gwen and Jack/Ianto. WARNING: Discipline fic. Contains M/F and M/M spanking, plus mild references to canon slash.
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: **I don't own Torchwood, or any of the characters (sadly). No copyright infringement is intended and I am not making any profit from this story (again, sadly!)

**SUMMARY: **After the events of 'Adrift', Jack has to deal with Gwen and Ianto's lack of ability to follow orders.

**NOTE:** This is set directly after Torchwood episode 2x11, 'Adrift'. There are some small-ish spoilers for that episode. If you haven't seen it but would like to know the plot, just type 'Wikipedia Torchwood Adrift' into Google and it should pop right up!

**WARNING:** Discipline fic. Story contains M/F and probably M/M spanking, and mild references to canon slash. If you don't like this sort of thing, then please don't read. Recommended for adults only.

* * *

Gwen stood in the dim light of the archives room, filing yet another photograph of a smiling woman in the 'Missing' drawer. Two more left to do – an elderly man, gone for eleven months, and Jonah Bevan, who she had left until last. Finally, she slid Jonah's photo and paperwork under B, and found herself shaking slightly on her feet, her hands trembling as she pushed the drawer shut. She took a deep breath and told herself to forget about these people, some left in spaces and times she couldn't imagine, others found and yet still lost. She had to leave them down here, let go of them; if Jonah's case had taught her anything, it was that she couldn't put any other families through the horror of the truth. _And also, maybe, that you should have listened to Jack in the first place,_ she thought guiltily.

Gwen sighed and turned, ready to go home, eager to get back to Rhys and see if she could repair the damage between them, see if she could get him to hold her and make the last few days go away. She didn't notice Jack studying her from the shadows as she left.

Jack watched Gwen silently. Part of him hoped that she would see him before she left, that she would come to him and discuss the day's events, but it didn't happen. She would go home to Rhys, he would comfort her, and meanwhile Jack would have to stay at the Hub, alone, feeling the weight of responsibility for all those who had come back through the rift heavy on his shoulders. People who he couldn't help, people who he was doing his best for but who he could never save. _People who should have been left well alone by Gwen, if she could only follow simple orders._ It wasn't his fault, but he still felt guilt over Nikki Bevan, and he still felt the sting of Gwen's resentment of him. Even though she understood his reasons now, he knew she was still struggling with the entire situation.

Jack also knew her trust in him had been shaken; would she be even more eager to dismiss his orders next time? And what about Ianto, so quick to betray his confidence, to share his secret with Gwen despite direct instructions to the contrary, and despite their recent growing closeness? Jack couldn't let his team act like this.

He retreated to his bedroom for another night of sleeplessness, grateful that at least he had fourteen hours to decide how to handle his wayward employees before they arrived for work tomorrow.

* * *

It was nearing the end of one of the slowest days at Torchwood since Gwen could remember. She had barely seen Jack. He'd given her and the rest of the team a few terse orders when they'd all arrived, but since then he'd stayed in his office as they all caught up on paperwork. The hub had been quiet, with Tosh engrossed in some new rift analysis software and Owen pretending to study online medical journals whilst actually listening to his Ipod and getting as much sleep as he could without anyone noticing.

At first Gwen had been fine with keeping her head down, writing reports and keeping a distance between herself and Jack, but as the day wore on she felt increasingly uncomfortable and started to wish for some mild rift activity, or hell, even a full on alien attack, if that was what it would take to get Jack to start working with her and talking to her again. She hated this distance between them, hated the coldness in his face as she'd arrived this morning.

Ianto seemed to be struggling with it too, bringing them all more cups of coffee than even the quicker drinkers amongst them could get through, and casting anxious looks up to Jack's office whenever he thought no one was watching.

'Tosh, Owen!' Jack's voice rang out and Gwen almost jumped out of her skin at the unexpectedness of it. She turned to see him coming down the stairs from his office quickly and determinedly.

Owen jerked in his seat and pulled out his earphones, whilst Tosh turned round from her screen with her usual expectant smile.

'Go home', said Jack as he neared them. 'There's nothing urgent that needs doing tonight.'

Owen was up and shrugging into his coat before Jack had finished his sentence. Tosh opened her mouth to protest, but a second look at Jack's face told her now was not the time. Jack nodded his thanks to her as she started to shut down the computer.

'Ianto!' Jack snapped, turning to look at him.

'Sir?' Ianto stood even straighter than normal, eager to please.

'Go home too, please' said Jack, noticing as Ianto's face fell almost imperceptibly. 'Come in an hour early tomorrow'.

Ianto nodded sharply, but felt his heart sink. He had hoped that perhaps tonight, after the others had left, he and Jack would talk, and then… well, he had hoped that by morning, all would be resolved. Evidently not. He turned to leave as Jack turned back to the others.

Gwen shifted uncomfortably in her seat and waited to hear her sentence.

'Gwen. With me.' There was a hint of a growl in Jack's voice as he gave his order, and Gwen found herself almost leaping from her chair to follow him as he headed back up to his office.

* * *

Gwen entered Jack's office and lingered uncomfortably in the doorway, watching him as he stood by the wide windows, waiting for the rest of the team to leave. When he was satisfied that they were alone, he went and sat behind his desk, motioning for Gwen to take a seat. She did so, nervously, her emotions flicking between guilt, defiance and the simple need for things to be ok between her and Jack again. She tried a small smile but Jack did not return it.

Jack leaned forward and put his elbows on the desk. 'Gwen…' he started. 'Torchwood is a team. But it's not a democracy. I am the leader and you need to accept that. I know you got used to leading during my… absence. But things are different now. And when I give you orders I need to know you'll obey them. I need –'

'Jack, you can't just expect me never to question you', Gwen burst out, leaning forward herself. 'I don't follow people blindly'.

Jack's countenance darkened and Gwen shrank back a little under the hardness of his stare.

'I'm not asking you to follow _people_ Gwen, just me. And I don't ask you to do it blindly. I just needed you to trust me. Once.'

Gwen felt her stomach shift. She had thought she did trust Jack. But she had to admit, there had been moments, over the last few days, when she'd wondered if she'd been wrong about him, if he wasn't the man he appeared. He was right; she should never have wondered that. She knew better. She should have trusted that he had his reasons, and that they weren't the sinister ones she had been imagining. She bit down on her lip and looked away from him.

Jack watched her squirm. Part of him wanted to reach out, to touch her, to move her hair away from her face the way he had many times before and to feel their usual closeness. But his bitterness and disappointment from recent events wouldn't let him, and his commitment to making sure his team obeyed him in the future made him continue.

'This isn't the first time you've disobeyed orders, and it's not the first time it's ended badly', he stated, referring to Gwen's decision to help Owen open the rift a few months ago. 'I know things about the future that you can't know, that I can't tell you. So I have to make the rules. I can't have a team filled with people who don't respect my instructions. I can't have you working here if you can't follow me'.

'What?' Gwen's head jerked up and she felt like she'd been punched in the face. _Was Jack sacking her? _'You can't fire me Jack, you – you can't. I won't let you.' She was suddenly on her feet, hands on the desk, her voice running away from her and rising to a volume that she didn't intend. 'You need me. You can't let me go just because I've made a couple of mistakes and haven't always done every single thing you –'

'Enough!' Jack snapped. 'I'm not firing you Gwen. Sit down.'

Gwen hesitated, then settled back down in the chair. Her heart was jumping all over the place; the idea of having to leave Torchwood had shaken her to the core.

Jack sighed and wiped his hand over his face.

'Now. I can suspend you, if that's what you think is best. Three weeks. But I don't think that'll solve much. If it was up to me, we'd take a more… unofficial approach.'

Gwen looked up at him hopefully. Unofficial sounded better. Jack wasn't exactly the type for being official anyway. And anything that meant she didn't have to stay at home for the next three weeks sitting on her hands whilst the rest of the team hunted aliens without her seemed like a good idea.

Jack looked into her eager eyes and felt his resolve weaken a little. He wasn't sure what her response to his question was going to be, and the idea that she might kick him to the curb was disconcerting at best. Still, he wasn't one for backing down.

'I've been told that it's not common practise for bosses to beat their staff, much as that idea has often appealed to me whenever I've looked at Owen. Still, I think in this situation, you'd benefit from a good spanking. I need to know that you can submit to me when it's necessary. So if you'd rather not take the suspension, there's your other option.' He leaned back in his chair and waited for Gwen's reaction.

Gwen just stared at him. And then she laughed. But it was a high pitched, nervous laugh that stuttered to a halt after a couple of seconds.

'You're having me on, right Jack?' Her head was swirling and she hadn't got a clue what to think. _A spanking?_ _This was a joke, surely?_

'I'm not having you on. Let me know when you've decided'. Jack watched her steadily.

Gwen couldn't quite believe what had just happened. She opened her mouth to say that Jack was insane, that he couldn't spank her, that it was illegal and inappropriate and that she'd take the suspension and that… and that… She closed her mouth.

Gwen knew she wouldn't take the suspension. She'd have pretty much agreed to anything that Jack suggested as an alternative to it. And hey, she was pretty tough. And Jack would never hurt her, she knew that. She shifted in her chair. Was she seriously about to tell Jack he could do this? She forced herself to look at him, forced herself to swallow, forced herself to say…

'Um. I don't want to be suspended.'

Jack hid the rush of relief that swept through him. He didn't want her to be suspended either. And he really did think this was the right thing. But he wanted her to be certain. 'So…?'

Gwen flushed. Was he going to make her say it? The silence hung between them for a moment and she ducked her head, until she heard him get up from the desk and make his way round to her. She looked up into his eyes, and found them lighter than they had been all day. She gave him an embarrassed smile.

'You're sure about this?' Jack asked. Gwen nodded swiftly, not wanting to think about it too long.

Jack nodded and started to roll up his shirt sleeves. Gwen paled. She watched the muscles in his forearms flex and started to wonder what she'd gotten herself into.

'Get up.' Jack's voice was gentle but firm. It drew her attention away from his arms and she stumbled up out of her chair, ready to get this over with. He took her place in the chair, took hold of her wrist and tugged her to his right side. She blushed even more fiercely as she realised he meant for her to go over his lap. She'd figured maybe she'd bend over the desk or something, but this? This was humiliating. She'd always wanted Jack to see her as an equal, and this didn't really seem conducive to that. She considered arguing the point, but Jack's next words threw her completely.

'Take them down', Jack said, quietly, nodding at her jeans.

'What?' Gwen said, not for the first time that day. She yanked her hand away from Jack and stepped back, shaking her head. 'No way. I'm not stripping off for you just to fulfil some twisted fantasy of yours, Captain Harkness', she spat out indignantly.

Jack narrowed his mouth, reached out and pulled her back to him. 'Trust me Gwen, when I've fantasised about your pants being off, it's not been for this reason. Now haven't we just finished talking about you learning to follow orders?' Gwen started to speak again but he spoke over her. 'Take. Them. Down.'

Gwen stared down at Jack and felt her heart hammering against her chest. She was tempted to walk out, but much like Jack, she didn't like to leave things half done. And she did want to show him that she could follow orders, that she could still be part of his team. With slightly shaky hands, she unbuttoned and unzipped her jeans, and pushed them down to the tops of her knees, silently thanking every available higher power that she'd worn simple black underwear rather than any of the comedy cartoon-character knickers Rhys insisted on buying her.

Jack tore his eyes away from what was right in front of him. Normally he'd have relished the sight, but he didn't want to make Gwen any more uncomfortable than she was. He tugged her wrist again, pulling her forward over his lap until her stomach hit his thighs. He shifted her over slightly further until she was in the right position, wrapped his left arm around her waist, and then, for just a second, let himself admire the view. _Right, now, back to business, Jack_.

Gwen bit her lip hard, planted her hands on the floor and tried to imagine she was anywhere but here. But Jack's voice cut through to her.

'Next time I tell you to do something, are you going to do it?'

Gwen nodded fiercely. 'Yes, I'm going to do it', she said tersely. 'Can we just get on with this?'

Jack frowned and slapped his hand down hard on the left side of her butt, and Gwen hissed at the sudden sting. It spread across her butt and almost brought tears to her eyes. She regretted her last sentence; clearly now was not the time to be challenging Jack. And she _was_ supposed to be learning from this. She was supposed to be making amends.

'Did you forget who's in charge here Gwen?' Jack asked, raising his hand for a second slap.

'I'm sorry.' Gwen's answer came surprisingly softly and Jack lowered his hand for a second.

'Good. Now. If I tell you to leave something alone because I'm handling it myself, will you do as I say?'

Gwen nodded again. 'I'll try'.

Jack sighed. 'Do more than try Gwen. And keep that in mind whilst we do this'. Jack raised his hand again, smacking it down on the other side of her butt, leaving a matching pink handprint emerging below each side of her underwear. He started in earnest, spanking her firmly, the slaps sounding like pistol shots in the small office.

Gwen couldn't believe how much it hurt. Wasn't this supposed to be a punishment for kids? Still, she guessed Jack was hitting her a lot harder than he would a kid. Every smack made her gasp with the force of the impact and the vicious sting it left behind. Her backside seemed to be turning into a burning, aching mass of heat and she couldn't stop herself squirming over his lap and drumming her toes into the floor. She wanted to take this well but she could feel tears pricking her eyes, more insistently with every new slap.

Jack looked at Gwen's rapidly reddening bottom and shifted his attention down to the crease where her butt met her thighs. He increased the impact of the slaps and felt Gwen buck across his lap, and heard the beginning of a sob come from her mouth, which she quickly stifled. He tightened his hold on her waist and pulled her closer to him, partly to keep her in place, partly because he could hardly bear to hear her cry.

Gwen felt Jack switch his attention to her sit spot and started to struggle against her will. The force of the slaps were sending her forward anyway, her legs involuntarily kicking up after each one, and now her hand seemed to fly back unbidden to protect herself after a particularly harsh slap. Jack gathered it quickly in his own hand and held it by her waist as he gripped her there.

Gwen felt herself start to shake and noticed the tears starting to fall down her face. She tried to stop them but Jack's hand kept on coming down and she found she could no longer halt her sobs. 'Jack, please! I'm sorry!'

Jack felt Gwen start to cry in earnest and almost stopped, his heart nearly breaking. But he knew he needed to make sure she didn't forget this for a long time. He needed to make it bad enough for her never to want to be back in this position. He didn't want to have to do this again and he didn't want a repeat of the last few days, ever. So he continued, aiming the slaps now at the tops of her thighs.

Gwen instantly started to struggle harder, trying to get off his lap, her sobs coming louder.

'Stay still', Jack ordered firmly, landing one slap lower down on her thigh and hating himself a little. Gwen gasped even harder and made a massive effort to still herself.

Jack landed more spanks on her sit spot and the tops of her thighs, turning them a bright, hot red. The final couple landed harder than the rest and he felt Gwen collapse against him, going limp as the pain and crying overtook her. Jack stopped. That was enough. He rested his hand gently on her thigh and let her cry.

Gwen cried her heart out. It was minutes later that she realised the spanking had stopped and that Jack had let go of her hand and was stroking small circles on her back. She drew in a few deep, shuddery breaths.

'We're done, Gwen, it's OK'. Jack felt her calming down and lifted her up by the waist until she was sitting almost on his lap, with him making sure her backside didn't quite touch his thighs.

Gwen buried her face in his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his neck, quietly crying the last few tears. Jack stroked her hair and held her tightly, needing the comfort as much as she did.

Eventually, Gwen seemed to come back to reality and stiffened a little. Jack loosened his grip and she stumbled up into a standing position, reaching immediately for her jeans and dragging them back up, breathing in sharply as they rubbed against her punished skin. Jack averted his eyes as she zipped herself back up, then returned his gaze to her, only to find her avoiding his eyes, her arms wrapped around herself.

He got up quickly and moved in front of her, using his fingers to tip her chin up towards him.

'Gwen. I'm so proud of you'.

Gwen looked up at him, her huge eyes startled. She'd been tense, embarrassed, awkward… and it was the last thing she expected him to say. But he honestly looked like he meant it, his eyes warm and his fingertips lightly caressing her chin. 'Jack…? she whispered.

'You took that so well. And I'm so glad I don't have to lose you…' Jack hesitated, '…for three weeks.'

Gwen gave him a teary smile. 'Me too.' Three weeks was far too long to be away from Torchwood…to be away from Jack. The fact that he thought so too made her feel strangely lighter. Suddenly a horrible thought came into her mind. 'Jack, you won't… you won't tell anyone what happened will you? If Owen knew… or Tosh…' She shuddered inwardly, the embarrassment of being spanked flowing back in full force.

Jack laughed and pulled her into a hug. 'It's just between you and me'. Gwen melted into him, relieved. She rested her head briefly on his shoulder and felt the anxiety she'd been carrying around since last night begin to ebb away.

The hug was on the verge of being too long, Jack knew. He pulled away. 'Another day tomorrow, right? Keep doing what we do?'

'Right', Gwen agreed, nodding, stepping back. 'See you then'. She gave Jack one last watery smile before leaving the office, walking somewhat awkwardly down the stairs, her backside still throbbing. She wasn't sure quite how to feel about what had happened, and was trying her best not to think about the undignified view of her that Jack must have had whilst she was over his knee. But she did know that the knot of guilt that had been twisting in her chest all day had loosened. She could never make things better for Jonah's mother, but she had at least made things right with her captain. Being unable to sit down for a while seemed like a pretty small price to pay for that. As she grabbed her coat and bag, she suddenly realised she was smiling slightly to herself.

Jack watched Gwen leave for the second night in a row. Part of him had, as usual, wanted her to stay. But as usual, he'd ignored it. Still, he was pleased with how the evening had turned out. It had been hard, but it had been necessary, and his closeness with Gwen seemed restored, and then some.

Besides, he knew he should get some rest. In the morning he had to deal with Ianto…

**Reviews would be very much appreciated :)**


	2. Chapter 2

_Coffee. Shower. Shave. Toast. More coffee. Brush teeth. Dress. _

Ianto was going through the motions, trying his best not to think. He'd been up half the night staring at the ceiling, and now he was tired and jittery. Standing in front of his wardrobe, he tried to focus on the simple task of deciding what to wear, but even that seemed fraught with difficulty in his fragile mood. He looked at his red shirt, knowing Jack liked him in red. But red was the colour of conflict, and Ianto was hoping for something a little less confrontational. White maybe? It was supposed to be the colour of innocence after all, and maybe it would evoke forgiveness. But Ianto's fingers slid back to the red one, and he couldn't help remembering the things Jack had said to him last time he'd worn it…the things Jack had done to him the last time he'd worn it. Yes, Jack _really_ liked him in red. Red it was.

Ianto fastened his tie and pulled on his suit jacket, arming himself against the world. Normally he felt like he could handle anything when he was properly dressed for the occasion. But there were certain things that Jack might say to him this morning that Ianto knew he couldn't cope with, suit or no suit. He was prepared to deal with an official reprimand, a suspension, extra unpaid work… But what Ianto was really worried about was Jack telling him that things between them would have to change. That the trust between them was gone and that Jack no longer wanted him. And Jack had every right to say that. He had every right to be furious at Ianto for telling Gwen the location of the facility at Flat Holm.

In hindsight, Ianto wasn't even really sure why he'd done it. Maybe because he was worried about the people who'd come back through the rift and their families, and thought that perhaps Gwen, with her insight and her heart and her frequent diatribes on the extra lengths the team could be going to in order to save people, would see a way to help them that just wouldn't have occurred to Jack. Or maybe because he was sick of all the secrets in the team, sick of all the secrets that Jack kept, sick of himself and Gwen and the others only being told what Jack thought they absolutely had to know. Whatever the reason, he hadn't intended things to end the way they had. And now he had to face the consequences.

* * *

Jack stood, hands in pockets, looking down on the main concourse of the Hub from his office windows. Usually he looked forward to Ianto arriving. At the very least he improved the view, and often he provided not only coffee and banter but also the sort of morning activity Jack particularly enjoyed starting the day with. And it was hard to deny that they'd been growing closer recently, their relationship deepening beyond the level of naked hide and seek. So it hurt that Ianto had spilled his secret to Gwen as soon as Jack's back was turned.

Still, Jack contemplated, that didn't mean they had to stop seeing each other. It just meant he should make sure he kept it on the sort of shallow level Jack was normally so good at. They could still have sex, just without the emotional extras. There had been no need to start spilling his guts to Ianto anyway.

His decision was made. Rein their relationship in a bit, give Ianto a short suspension for helping Gwen, and things would be sorted. It was for the best. And it wasn't as if he could give Ianto the sort of choice he gave Gwen, not if he was trying to back off from their relationship a little. After all, he wanted to decrease the level of intimacy between them, not amplify it. He just wasn't sure why this decision wasn't making him feel any happier.

Ianto sensed Jack's eyes on him as soon as he entered the Hub and felt the nervousness rising in his throat. Jack motioned him up, and Ianto went, feeling not unlike he was walking to his own execution.

'Morning, sir.' Ianto attempted to sound bright and breezy. It was not successful.

Jack turned from his position at the window, pulled out a chair for Ianto, then made his way behind his desk and sat. Jack did not appreciate Ianto's choice of outfit. The fact that he looked almost as dashing as Jack himself was somewhat counterproductive to Jack's decision to be professional and distant. He forced himself to look stern.

'Was I unclear when I told you that Gwen was not to know about Flat Holm?' Jack asked, knowing the answer already.

Ianto shook his head. 'No, but –'

'What about when I told Gwen to leave it and that the subject was finished? Did I stutter?' Jack said harshly, gearing up to full on interrogatory mode.

Ianto shook his head again.

'Then why did you feel the need to give her the GPS?'

Ianto held his head high, but found himself fixing his eyes on a point behind Jack, unable to look at his boss straight on. 'I just thought, maybe there was something she could do to help. And I thought she was right, that the families would be better off, if they knew…' he trailed off as his eyes drifted unconsciously to Jack's face which seemed to be darkening by the second.

'You mean you thought you knew better than me? That I'd misjudged the situation and that I wasn't doing enough to help these people?'

Ianto couldn't deny it. He wished that he could.

Jack sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time in the last few days. He knew there was nothing Ianto could say to improve the state of affairs. He may as well just get on with things.

'I can't have my team second guessing me and undermining my decisions. I can't have you going behind my back. You know that. I want you to take a few days to think it over. You're suspended for a week.'

'Yes sir'. Ianto wasn't surprised.

'It would be longer', Jack continued, 'but the whole thing's partly my fault. I should never have told you about the facility. It was inappropriate. I trusted you with things above your clearance level just because you and I were… I'm sorry. It won't happen again'. Jack leaned back as if finished.

Ianto looked at him in disbelief. Was he serious? Was Jack genuinely suggesting that the way to improve things was for him to keep even more secrets? For months Ianto had been letting his hopes rise every time Jack let him in a little more, every time they shared something more than a brief encounter in the archives, and now he felt things spiralling away from him.

'Are you saying you're going to start telling me _less_ than you already do?' Ianto asked quietly, tightly, trying to keep his emotions under control.

'I think that's for the best'. Jack tried to ignore the obvious angst in Ianto's words and the hurt in his eyes. 'You can go now', he said dismissively as he pretended to turn his attention to the paperwork on his desk, knowing he was being cruel. _This is the right thing to do_, he told himself.

Ianto lost it. 'I'm sorry, but that's incredibly stupid', he snapped.

Jack's head jerked up. 'What did you just say?' His voice was low and dangerous. 'Have you forgotten who you're talking to, Ianto Jones?'

Ianto was in no mood to be deterred, despite how scary Jack looked right now. 'Fine, I'll rephrase it – that's incredibly stupid, _sir'_.

Jack stood up and slammed his hands down on the desk in one sudden movement, but Ianto flinched back in his chair for only a second before rising swiftly to his feet to meet Jack's eyes. Jack opened his mouth to speak but Ianto was faster.

'Has it occurred to you, Jack, that if you had perhaps told me more about the situation, I might never have gone to Gwen? If you'd told me exactly what Jonah's condition was, and how you thought his mother would react? If you'd actually shared your thoughts, rather than just telling me the absolute minimum and then expecting me to blindly follow your orders? Maybe if you'd opened up to me, I might have understood. I hardly think the solution to a harmonious workplace is to shut yourself off from us even more than you have already!'

Jack stared in shock at Ianto, who was shaking with anger and looked on the verge of tears. Jack's heart seemed to lurch as he saw the emotions playing out across his lover's face. He struggled with himself for a moment, then against his will he made his way around the desk and pulled Ianto roughly into his arms.

Ianto trembled in Jack's embrace. This wasn't the reaction he'd expected from his outburst but he wasn't complaining. Being back in Jack's arms, feeling the distance between them abate a little, was the most he could have asked for, and his rage started to dissipate.

Jack stroked the base of Ianto's neck with his thumb and felt Ianto calming. He couldn't deny he'd missed the feel of Ianto over the last couple of days. Maybe the younger man was right. Maybe drawing even further into himself was not the answer. He pulled back and leant on the desk.

'Yan… I'm sorry. I know I don't tell you everything. I _can't_ tell you everything. But…' Jack looked into Ianto's dark eyes and felt the last of his resolve fading. 'I promise I'll do better'.

Ianto nodded stiffly, trying to contain the relief that crashed through him like a tidal wave. 'Thank you'. It was barely audible. He cleared his throat, forcing his emotions back down, and put his hands on his hips, attempting to regain some control of himself. 'So… I'm still suspended?'

Jack tilted his head to the side. Right now what he really wanted to do was take Ianto straight down to his bedroom, but he couldn't. Whatever their relationship was, he still needed to make absolutely sure Ianto could obey his orders, for the sake of the team. Still, he supposed, given that his brief attempt to curtail his bond with Ianto had crashed and burned in all of five minutes, there was really no reason not to offer him the same choice as Gwen.

'Well. You still disobeyed a direct order Ianto. It wasn't the first time, and I can't have it happening again. But if you don't want to take the suspension, we could deal with this in a less traditional manner'.

Ianto looked at him quizzically.

Jack folded his arms over his chest. 'I could spank you'.

Ianto was taken aback for a moment, then snorted in amusement. 'Jack, if you wanted to spank me you could have asked anytime'.

Jack rolled his eyes in frustration. 'I'm aware of that thank you, Ianto. This would be in a somewhat more disciplinary sense though.'

Ianto hesitated. He wasn't opposed to taking a suspension, but he would much rather get things sorted today, clear the air with Jack and get back to work. Besides, a spanking from his lover wasn't exactly the worst thing in the world.

'Okay…' he said slowly.

Jack drew himself up to his full height, needing Ianto to appreciate the seriousness of the circumstances. 'Are you sure? It won't be pleasant. It'll be a proper punishment Ianto.'

Ianto nodded, but could feel himself start to sweat a little and noticed his heart beat picking up speed. He told himself firmly to calm down. Jack wouldn't be too hard on him.

Jack rolled his sleeves up quickly. 'Jacket off then, please', he directed.

Ianto shed his jacket and placed it carefully on Jack's coat stand, then came back to Jack. 'You want me over it?' he asked, indicating the desk and moving to place his hands on it.

Jack bristled slightly at Ianto's attempt to take charge of the situation. The very point of this was to get Ianto to follow orders, not make them. He shook his head and sat down heavily in the chair Ianto had been using earlier. 'Over my knee please', he said matter-of-factly.

Ianto suddenly found himself feeling uncomfortably vulnerable. He backed off, nervously, the thought of being in such a childlike position making his stomach turn over sickeningly. 'I'm not eight years old, Jack. I'll be fine over the desk, thanks.'

Jack gritted his teeth in annoyance, reached out for Ianto's wrist and pulled him to his side. 'You're not making the rules here Ianto. And if you're going to run around behind my back leaving secret directions for people like an immature schoolboy, then you can damn well be punished like one!'

Ianto flushed red and started to wish he'd just taken the suspension. He couldn't argue with what Jack was saying, but the scolding wasn't exactly nice to hear. Neither was Jack's next order.

'Trousers down, Ianto'.

Ianto swallowed and fumbled with his belt, not feeling like it would be a good idea to challenge Jack again. Seconds later his suit trousers were pooling round his shoes and he was bending awkwardly over Jack's lap. Jack pulled him down and secured an arm round his waist. He tugged Ianto's boxers down too, figuring there was no reason to be modest.

'Comfortable?' Jack checked.

'Oh yeah, it's bloody paradise', Ianto snapped sarcastically, then immediately regretted it as Jack's hand came crashing down on his backside and left a fierce sting in its wake.

'I'm getting the impression you're not taking this seriously', Jack said sternly. 'Do I have to remind you why we're doing this?'

'No, sir'.

'Then tell me'.

Ianto clenched his jaw silently, wishing the whole thing was over. He didn't particularly want to repeat the stupid things he'd done.

Jack swatted him again, hard, leaving an angry red splotch on the left side of his butt. 'I'm waiting Ianto'.

Ianto winced in pain. 'Because I disobeyed you and told Gwen where the facility was. And because I didn't trust you and the way you were handling it. And because now Jonah's mother is in even more pain and it's my fault'. Ianto's voice caught a little with the last sentence and he was suddenly glad that he was going to be punished. He had caused so much hurt with just one small act.

Jack felt a wave of sympathy as he heard Ianto's voice break. 'Hey. It's not _all_ your fault', he said quietly, and rubbed his hand slightly on the base of Ianto's back. 'But you better not ignore an order like that again', he stated more firmly, raising the same hand.

Ianto hung his head and squeezed his eyes shut as Jack started the spanking. Jack was smacking hard and fast, and his skin seemed to be on fire within seconds, each slap igniting further heat and pain. He tried to keep himself perfectly still but it was a tough task, especially when the slaps started raining down lower on his butt, at the line where it met his thighs. He found himself desperately trying to push down the tears that were springing up unbidden behind his eyes. He wasn't sure whether they were tears of pain, humiliation or guilt, but he was determined not to shed them, to take it like a man.

A couple of minutes passed and Jack's arm was starting to ache. He couldn't help thinking how much easier it had been to spank Gwen – he'd got an instant reaction from her, and much as he'd hated her tears, at least he'd known what he was doing was having an effect. Ianto had barely shifted over his lap, despite Jack having painted most of his backside dark red. Jack was wondering whether he should have taken off his belt to use when he heard Ianto draw in a breath a little harder than usual. Jack landed another slap to his upper thigh and heard a definite whimper. At last. Jack rested his hand on Ianto's thigh for a second.

'I don't ever want to have to do this again, you hear me?' he demanded. Ianto nodded furiously in complete agreement, and Jack tightened his grip, preparing for a final onslaught.

Two minutes later Ianto's upper thighs were the same colour as his butt and Jack could feel him shaking slightly with what he could only assume were silent sobs. Jack pulled him up gently and stood both of them up, putting his hands on the sides of Ianto's face and lifting it until he could see the streaks left by a few quiet tears. He wiped them away softly with his thumbs whilst Ianto looked anywhere but at Jack.

'Hey…hey! Look at me', Jack ordered firmly, anxious to check both that Ianto was alright, and that he'd gotten his message across.

Ianto raised his eyelids slowly, reluctantly, until their eyes locked on to each other. A jolt of electricity seemed to pass between them until Ianto dropped his eyes again.

'I'm sorry Jack'. His voice was quiet andshaky, but the sentiment was heartfelt.

Jack relaxed at the apology. 'It's okay, it's forgotten', he said almost tenderly, his hand still on Ianto's cheek, which was warm and damp beneath his touch.

Ianto nodded softly. 'I didn't mean to hurt anyone… I didn't mean to hurt you', he muttered.

Jack pulled him into his arms for the second time that day. 'I know.' And he did know.

Ianto turned his head carefully into Jack's shoulder and drew a few shuddering breaths as Jack's fingers wound their way into his hair. It took a while, but eventually he relaxed into the hug, letting Jack soothe away the last vestiges of guilt and tension.

Part of Ianto wanted to stay like this forever, protected from the world by Jack's strength, but a more determined part of him made him push himself a way after a few minutes and reacquaint himself with his trousers and jacket. He did his best to get his trousers up without wincing, but he suspected his stoic expression might have slipped just a little as the material rubbed his thighs. Still, if Jack noticed he didn't react, and Ianto was oddly grateful for that. Re-buckling his belt, he felt an unexpected rush of love for Jack.

Jack watched Ianto quietly. Even fully dressed again, he still looked younger and more vulnerable than Jack had seen him for months. His hair was not quite so neat as normal, his lips were flushed, his eyes were darker and still glistening a little. Jack found himself aching to kiss him, to comfort him in every way he knew how, but it wasn't the time. He didn't want to send mixed messages, and right now he still needed to be in control. _Tonight_, he promised himself.

And then, as Ianto turned to leave, murmuring something about making sure the drinks were ready for the arrival of the others, Jack cut himself a little slack.

'Yan?'

Ianto looked back at him, waiting.

Jack quirked an eyebrow. 'Tonight? You'll stay late?'

Despite the pain in his rear and the lingering embarrassment, Ianto's lips twitched into an almost-smile. Jack could make him cry one minute and still make his heart leap in his chest the next. He nodded very slightly. 'I'll stay'.

That was one order he could definitely follow.

- End -

**Please review and let me know what you thought and whether you'd like further stories in the same vein! :)**


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